Los Angeles school board votes to ban smartphones

A school bus driver navigates while driving through downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S. July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake

(Reuters) -The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday voted to ban smartphones for its 429,000 students in an attempt to insulate kids from distractions and social media that undermine learning and hurt mental health.

The board of the second-largest U.S. school district voted 5-2, approving a resolution to develop within 120 days a policy prohibiting student use of cellphones and social media platforms. The policy would be in place by January 2025.